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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Vaudeville Safari, 27 March 2005

Author: Tom Willett (yonhope) from Central Midwest, USA

Hi, Everyone, I have a theory that any movie scene will get better if you put a gorilla into the mix. It works better if the gorilla is big.

There is a reason to spend the one dollar you might have to cough up for this film. There is a Crosley in the movie. Most people have never seen a Crosley. Most people do not know what a Crosley is. The Crosley was a small somewhat popular car that was built shortly after World War 2 (by a refrigerator manufacturer). If you watch this movie until the end you will see Lou getting out of a Crosley station wagon.

This is also a pleasant romp through the wild jungle with Bud and Lou and some ex champion boxers, famous wild animal tamers, one pretty girl and a couple of stooges. The scenes with Clyde Beatty and his lions are obviously real. He was an actual lion tamer. The scene with Lou in the cage with the lion looks very real even though it had to be a blue screen or matte job.

One oddity I noticed here was that Lou Costello is playing the part of Stanley Livington (no "s"). First name Stan and last initial "L." I wonder if that was a tribute to Stan Laurel? The gorilla is very well played. The gorilla suits used in many of the movies of the 1940s and 50s looked much better than the Chew Baca and other more modern gorillas.

Worth a look.

Tom Willett

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Generally Enjoyable Light Comedy, 28 November 2005
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

This is a generally enjoyable Abbott and Costello comedy, with a light and often silly feel that nevertheless works well enough. Hillary Brooke adds an elegant presence as their antagonist, and the story makes relatively good use of its comic possibilities.

The plot has the kind of deliberately implausible setup that Bud and Lou usually handled well, as their two characters become part of an African expedition led by the scheming Brooke. Once there, there are plenty of lions and other beasts that get tangled up with the characters. Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty also appear as themselves, although they are mostly only incidental to the story.

Brooke and the Baer brothers, as her henchmen, make their end of things work well, and there are also some good moments from Shemp Howard and Joe Besser. Not all of the comedy ideas are of the same quality, but most of it works well enough as long as you don't take it too seriously.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Fairly funny jungle hijinks with Bud & Lou **, 25 May 2005

Author: JoeKarlosi from U.S.A.

Since this independent Abbott & Costello comedy wasn't produced by Universal or MGM it comes off less slick than some of their other films, yet still emerges as pretty funny and is worth a look for fans of the team. Bud and Lou are joined by sometime-Stooges Shemp Howard and Joe Besser, and also lovely Hillary Brooke, who would later join them for their regular weekly television show.

Brooke is a crime boss looking for a certain map that's in A&C's possession, so she and the boys (including Shemp and Joe) journey to the jungles of darkest Africa to search for what the men think is a rare type of orangutan gargantua gorilla (or some sort of nonsense); but actually, Hillary's only hunting for a secret treasure trove of precious diamonds. When Abbott finds out what's really going on, he becomes quite the self-centered businessman and is really funny and more mean than usual (which always works for me in these comedies).

Some jokes include Costello getting locked in a cage with a lion, the humorous "I Lost My Pal" routine, and Lou tangling with cannibals. Real-life lion tamer/big game hunters Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty are also on hand to do their stuff if you go for that sort of thing.

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8 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
"Africa Screams" offers some funny moments, 14 February 2001

Author: jimtinder from US

"Africa Screams" was Abbott and Costello's independent production for 1949, filmed at Nassour Studios. A&C are booksellers who find themselves on an African expedition; the leader of the expedition (lovely Hillary Brooke) is after diamonds. Hilarity ensues as A&C dodge lions and gorillas; Will A&C get their share of the diamonds?

"Africa Screams" boasts one of the finest supporting casts A&C worked with. In addition to Hillary Brooke (who later co-starred on their TV show), the movie is aided greatly by the appearances of legendary funnymen Shemp Howard and Joe Besser. An air of authenticity is given with the appearances of Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty. The tough-guy roles are nicely handled by boxers Max and Buddy Baer.

Bud is given more to do in this film, and he shines - he shows again that he would have made a wonderful character actor. He stands up to Hillary Brooke and her goons, and cuts deals for himself. Although he takes advantage of Lou once again, I can report that Bud does get his in the end! (How, I won't reveal. Watch for yourself and see.)

What prevents me from giving this film a higher rating than "6" are the low-budget sets at Nassour. Bud and Lou never had a big-budget film at Universal, but this film looks paltry by comparison. What also hampers the enjoyment of the film is the fact that it appears to still be in public domain; low-grade, scratchy prints are usually what can be found in the bargain section of the video store. All in all, though, a fun film. 6 out of 10.

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7 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
More pluses than minuses, but not by much, 11 November 2002
Author: frankfob from California

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Africa Screams" is definitely one of Bud and Lou's lesser works, although still better than their final few films (especially the atrocious "Dance With Me, Henry"). It's difficult not to laugh at anything Lou Costello does; he's just such a superb natural clown you can't help yourself. Bud Abbott has always had the reputation for being the best straight man in the business, and it was one he well deserved. While his skill is still evident, both he and Lou had gone through some tough times in the previous few years (watch "The Time of Their Lives," one of their better pictures, filmed in 1946; only three years elapsed between that film and this one, but they unfortunately appear to have aged WAY more than that) and Bud was starting to show some signs of the health problems that eventually forced his retirement. The combination of his ongoing health issues (he was an epileptic, and it got worse as he got older) and a severe drinking problem brought on by his condition had slowed him down considerably. He does show signs of his old spark, but at other times he seems somewhat sluggish, as does Lou. Don't get me wrong, there are still some very funny moments in this picture. The routine in the lion's cage still works well, and the way Abbott lets his greed overtake him when he thinks he can swindle everyone out of the diamonds is reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" and shows what a good actor he could be, even without Lou. Although other posters have praised the supporting cast, personally I think it's somewhat weak. Shemp Howard is an asset, and is quite good; even though he doesn't have as much screen time as he should, he still manages to make his part memorable. Joe Besser isn't as annoying as he was during his turn in the Three Stooges shorts, but that's really not saying much; he was TERRIBLE in the Stooges shorts (although he was terrific as Stinky in Bud & Lou's TV series). Hillary Brooke, while as coolly and regally beautiful as ever, is, frankly, not up to the part. Her character is the villain of the picture, and calls for the kind of edge and nastiness that you just don't associate with her, and she couldn't overcome that. Frank Buck is Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty is Clyde Beatty, and neither were ever particularly good actors, as is more than evident, but they were never supposed to be; they do what they do best, and acting isn't it. Max and Buddy Baer are a little more interesting as Hillary's henchmen. They have a nice bit where they're tricked into fighting each other (by chimpanzees, no less!), and it's actually quite funny. The main problem with this film, I think, is the one that others here have mentioned--the combination of the very low budget and its cheap and rushed look really detracts from its good points. Director Charles Barton was responsible for many of the team's best films, but even he couldn't do much with this one.

Overall it's one of Bud and Lou's minor works. If you haven't seen it it's worth watching once, or twice maybe, but that's about it.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Pardon Me, Are You a Gorilla or Just a Little Bit Hairy?, 22 November 2008

Author: dougdoepke from Claremont, USA

Wow! The usually frumpy Costello looks positively dapper in his snazzy salesman's suit at movie's start. Superior A&C comedy with good routines, productive premise, and unusual cast. The boys get to chase around the wilds of a Hollywood sound stage pretending (not very hard) to be adventuring in darkest Africa. Of course, Lou gets to do his slow-to-catch- on routine as crocodiles, gorillas, and other assorted man-eating critters nuzzle up in humorously menacing fashion. I love it, though, when that savage-looking kitten scares the be-Jesus out of him in a downtown department store, no less.

And whose great idea was it to load up the cast with some real characters. Take the giant Baer brothers, Max and Buddy, for example. Together they look like they could tear down the Empire State building without a wreaking ball. Not exactly, your usual movie types, and when they start scuffling, you can almost feel the ground shake. Then too, what an inspiration to stick coke-bottle glasses on Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame and turn him into a nearly blind big-game hunter! So, better hide the house pets. But I really am curious how little, fat comedian Joe Besser snuck on set when the movie already had a little, fat comedian who's a lot funnier. Add real life adventurers Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck, along with the always regal Hillary Brooke who glitters, as usual, but never gets in on the fun, and it all adds up to a lively and entertaining bunch of characters.

Perhaps best of all, A&C are still looking fresh in their roles, and if some of the routines wheeze a bit, the boys are still able to give them the needed lift, something they did not do in the last few years before the final 1956 break-up. Sure, this kind of nonsense is not everyone's cup of tea. But I defy even the sourest sour-puss not to surrender a few chuckles as the boys bumble along Africa-style.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Lots of fun with the loony couple in the African jungle, 28 June 2006

Author: ma-cortes

The frantic duo now as a library clerks(Abbott and Costello)who become involve in African adventures when an ambitious group ruled by a nasty,evil woman(Hillary Brooke)thinks which Costello knows a treasure map.They go on an Africa safari which lead to a secret treasure ,the king Salomon's diamonds .Stranded in Africa happen numerous humorous adventures,odds and risks. The picture contains slapstick,simple humor,parody and is pretty amused.This is okay comedy but a cheapie production with low budget developing a sarcastic look to the jungle films.Most entertainment and madcap scheme comes from the animals apparition when are frightening at Costello as gorilla,croc and lions,especially when into a cage he believes being Abbott.Besides as supporting cast appear familiar faces joined in the mayhem,thus, Hillary Brooke(acting alongside with crazy duo ¨Against the captain Kidd¨) as femme fatal is especially known as wicked roles(¨Woman in green¨ against Sherlock's Basil Rathbone); Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck ,they were actually lions tamers;The Baer Brothers,Max and Buddy,real life muscle men heavyweight fighters and Buddy Baer(playing the giant) starred with the couple ¨Jack and the bean stalk¨; even appear the one time ¨Stooges¨(Howard and Besser). The film is regularly directed by usual director of their films,Charles Barton.The flick will like to nutty duo fans.Hilarious and humorous gags make this one of the best from barmy pair.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Modest Abbott and Costello film, 26 March 2000

Author: Moses-7

While this isn't the best of the famous comedy duo's films (I personally think that A&C Meet Frankenstein has that honor), this is a decent comedy for fans of the pair. They manage to wring a few laughs out of a jungle theme that I personally feel was overused in films at that time. The actor who makes the film for me, however, is that wonderful "unknown" stooge, Shemp Howard, in a humorous supporting role.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
"It was a slow day in Hollywood. Abbott & Costello only made one Movie!"…….Bob Hope (in a Monologue), 7 March 2008

Author: John T. Ryan (redryan64@hotmail.com) from Chicago, Illinois, United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

And they did make an awful lot of films starting with their debut in Universal's ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940). And they did stay busy at Universal; where along with Miss Deanna Durbin, they managed to keep the Studio's doors open. But, they did not go exclusive with Universal; opting for some simultaneous work to be done for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn Studios/United Artists as well as some independents.

Of all their films, we liked ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal-Intermnational, 1948) the best; but that, my dear Schultz, is another story and review. Following this would be both more simplified, yet more complicated; simplified because it provided a road map of where to start with an A&C vehicle and where to go with it. As for the more complicated aspect of the equation; it becomes a matter of, "how do we top this?" With the release of Africa SCREAMS (Huntington-Hartford/Nassour Pictures/United Artists, 1949), it is obvious that all of this business learned on the A&C Frankenstein Project was applied to the "jungle project".

First of all, they started with a simple enough premise and storyline to boot. Bud & Lou work in a big, Downtown Bookstore; being kind of like a B. Dalton, Bookseller or Kroch's & Brentano's (here in Chicago). Lou entertains dreams of being a big time Jungle Guy, sort of like co-stars Frank Buck and Clyde Beatty.* In true comedy movie fashion, the pair get tangled up with Treasure Hunter s Diana Emerson (Hillary Brooke) and her Henchmen Boots Wilson (Buddy Baer) & Grappler McCoy (Max Baer).

They wind up at her house, having plenty of interplay with her Butler, Harry (Joe Besser) and Safari "Guide", Gunner (a Coke-bottle spectacled Shemp Howard). They eventually get to be part of Miss Brooke's expedition by lying about knowledge of the map needed to find a treasure trove of diamonds, worth a King's Ransom. They get into trouble with the local natives, "Bring 'Em Back Alive" Mr. Frank Buck (Himself) and the "World's Greatest Animal Trainer" Mr. Clyde Beatty (Himself).

Lou also runs into a Gorilla who has apparent crush on him, in an emotional lovelorn way; not being a sort of Wrasslin' maneuver. And the censors objected to a female Gorilla feeling amorous about Costello; so the production team made the Gorilla a Male! So our would be 'G' Rated (today) Saturday Afternoon Kids Matinée special now has a Homosexual Bestiality relationship, right out there in front of God and Everybody! (Isn't it great to see how lucky we are in having an Arbiter of Public Taste and Morals looking- out for us in the Movie Business!**)

So, in no surprise to anyone, after all of the above has transpired and a Giant King Kong/Mighty Joe Young knockoff Gorilla brings the action on the Dark Continent to a climactic crescendo, the Comical Pair returns to New York; where Lou has become some sort of Tycoon and Abbott some kind of blue collar worker in Costello's employ! THE END!

A film of only about 80 minutes in length, Africa SCREAMS is obviously a project conceived as an Abbott & Costello movie from the most embryonic of stages. While it is no masterpiece; it is a top flight laugh maker, which is what it is all about, after all is said and done! The film is a crazy-quilt of the most unusual collection of personalities involved in the production at all levels. First of all, we have the cast; which we have already acknowledged in previous paragraphs; but, here we go again. Other than Bud & Lou we have a relatively small (not in size for the Baers) cast. The just mentioned brothers, Heavtyweights in the Prize Ring both, provided the brawn heavies in the gang, the "muscle." "The Livermore Larruper" former Heavyweight Champion of The World, Max Baer and his "little" brother, the near giant Buddy Baer did just fine in performing their shtick with Bud & Lou. Both Hillary Brooke and Joe Besser were later regulars on "THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW" (CBS TV/ NBC TV, 1952-53); with Hillary providing the glamour and Joe playing the Man-Boy, "Stinky" in the Buster Brown suit! And let's not forget the old-pro, the comedians' comedian, the maverick Stooge (himself), Shemp Howard as the "blind-as-a-bat" (with or without the "Harry Caray-style" glasses.)

In going beyond the cast we find a really strange conglomeration of people in different roles. Take for example: Musical Director, Walter Schumann-he of the "DRAGNET" theme and music for NIGHT OF THE HUNTER! We have Donald Crispi as Executive Producer! William Nassour (Producer of "SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE" TV Series, 1956) was Ececutive in Charge. Norman Abbott (Bud's nephew) worked as dialogue coach. Perhaps the most unusual member to be involved is Huntington Hartford, whose name is the same as his Production Company. Mr. Hartford, whose family owned the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as the A&P Food Stores; once totaling about 15,000 Supermarkets nationwide.

Now in Public Domain, Africa SCREAMS is easy to find; being all over the place, much like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Liberty Pictures/RKO Radio, 1946) used to be.

NOTE: * These 2 guys were real life Jungle Bwanas; Mr. Buck having been known as "Bring 'Em Back Alive" for some 25 years before this picture. Clyde Beatty had his own Circus, was known as "the World's Greatest Animal Trainer" and had made many films before, including 2 Serials portraying Himself.

NOTE: ** This begs the question: Who's pitchin' and who's catchin'?

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
In Darkest Africa-----------NOT, 2 March 2007

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Africa Screams, one of the least seen of Abbott&Costello's films was an independent production that was released through United Artists. The thin plot has Hillary Brooke believing Costello has the map to a hidden territory that is rich with diamonds. Bud and Lou go to Africa at her behest with her two companions, the fighting Baer Brothers. Of course the payoff she has in mind is different than the one boys are expecting.

Not that Universal studios exactly invested Abbott&Costello's films with much in the way of productions values, but this one is really really bad in that department. What budget they had they must have spent on getting both Clyde Beatty and Frank Buck to do guest appearances playing themselves.

On the plus side the boys do have some amusing moments, especially Costello in the cage with one of Clyde Beatty's lions which he thinks is just Abbott in a lion costume. Joe Besser and Shemp Howard also provide for some additional laughs.

My favorite moment in the film however is with the Baer brothers, Max and Buddy, both of them having fought Joe Louis and coming out on the short end, in Buddy's case twice, falling out and starting to fight as Max says he'll hit Buddy harder than Joe Louis ever did.

The film could have been a lot better, the boys are fine, but the production values give the film a look like something Ed Wood might have created.

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